Precious Memories
by Cute Little Foxy
Summary: Tsuzuki and Hisoka rescue a young boy from a Devil, only to discover that the boy has no memory! There is no way the summary will fit here. Full summary inside! Better than it sounds. Thank you to my fist reviewer! You have saved this story from deletion!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, everybody! I am Cute Little Foxy, and this is my Yami no Matsuei fic, Precious Memories! (I know the title sucks, but give me a break. I usually just title my fics as whatever the two main characters names are, so just deal with it. I can change the title later.)**

**Summery: Tsuzuki and Hisoka rescue a strange young boy from a Devil, only to find that the boy has no memory! Not of the fight that transpired just an hour or so before, how old he is, where he's from, or even his own name! Who is this boy?! Why is his memory gone?! What will happen to him if he can't get his memory back?! I suck at summaries! But I promise it'll be better than it sounds! So there!**

**There are a few things I'd like to point out here. Although the name of the child in this story is the same as a character in Yu Yu Hakusho, this is **_**NOT**_ a crossover story. I borrowed the name and hair color, but other than that, there is really no resemblance. Oh, the boy is about four feet tall and if you've kept up with the manga on Mangafox, his hair is not quite as long as Kurikara's but if you think about him, you'll get the right idea. If you've never read the manga (What's wrong with you?!), then just take a quick look at volume 11. Kurikara is all over in that one. And YES, the kid is a BOY (You'll understand why I say that in a bit, just be patient). What else . . . ? Um . . . Right, the two wolves are big. And I mean BIG! We're talking the size of a VERY large horse.

All right, I'm gonna give you a quick desciption of the kid. So, he's a boy, obviously. He looks a LOT like Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho (But he is not _the_ Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho. Don't make that mistake.). He's around four feet tall. His hair is red and can reach his ankles when it's braided (He _REALLY_ needs a haircut, huh?). The front part of it hangs in his face. His voice should probably be played by a girl if this were an anime (His voice squeaks a little sometimes, too, and it gets higher pitched the louder he gets.). And the thing that sets him apart from Kurama in YuYu Hakusho is that his eyes are NOT green. They are a silvery pale-blue (Pretty, huh? If you can visualize it. I worked for hours once trying to make the perfect siver blue color for a school project using colored pecils. I have never been able to get the same color again, which is sad because it was _soooo_ beautiful . . . *cries*). Okay . . . so this wasn't so short. Sorry. I'm gonna try to draw him, and I'll let you know if I manage it. If I do, I'll let you know how to see it. But don't ask me for it, 'kay? I'll let you know if I manage to get it done. I promise.

Warnings: The very beginning is a little suckish. For that, I am sorry. *bows* I think I started this fic in geography class. I am rating this fic "M" for swearing, several uses of the word "rape", and, eventually . . . Muraki (I don't know how he's going to fit into this story just yet, but if he's in it, it almost certainly has to be rated "M". O.o)

Okay, what next . . . ? Oh, right!

Disclaimers: I don't own Yami no Matsuei or Yu Yu Hakusho (I felt it was necessary to include YYH since I mentioned it above and since I'm borrowing the boy's name). If I did own either of them, 1.) There would have been A LOT more episodes of Descendants of Darkness (According to the actual author, there WERE going to be 26, but the producers in Japan cut it to, what, 13? That bunch of meanies.) 2.) Yu Yu Hakusho would have had a lot more Kurama and Youko in it (Hell, it probably would have been ALL about him/them!) and 3.) The Yu Yu Hakusho series would have actually FINISHED in America. That's right folks, apparently the producers here in America thought it would be okay to end the series the way it did. If you want more info, contact littlefoxling101. Foxling has more info than I do.

Alrighty then. That's about it, so let's get on with the fic!

Oops! One more warning! You are being dropped right into the middle of a fight scene between Tsuzuki and Hisoka, and a Devil about to eat a kid that they _think_ is a girl! Oh, and the Devil thing looks like a GIANT centipede. Okie dokie? Now then, on with the fic! Here's Precious Memories! Enjoy!

* * *

Precious Memories

Chapter 1

Tsuzuki shot a blast of fire at the Devil. The monster was trying to devour what appeared to be a young girl, and he'd be damned to the deepest depths of Hell if he was going to let that happen. The creature struck out with its tail, but Tsuzuki managed to jump back an instant before it connected, the spear-like tip smashing straight into the ground where'd just been standing. Tsuzuki shot another blast of Fuda at it, hoping to draw it away from the tiny body it seemed intent in eating. The Devil followed him, but it still wasn't quite far enough away from the child. He shot yet another blast of fire at the monster, this time hitting along the segments of its back. It was just enough to finally get the beasts attention and draw it another few feet from the girl. It reared back, preparing for a counter-attack, which was exactly the opening Tsuzuki had been waiting for.

"Hisoka, now!"

The blond boy made a mad dash for the child, but the creature spotted him before he could get to her. The monstrous centipede swung the back half of its body around, striking Hisoka squarely in the center of his chest and sending him flying back in the opposite direction.

"Hisoka!" Tsuzuki screamed.

The blond boy landed hard on a patch of packed dirt and then didn't move. (Ouch! That's gotta hurt! Sorry, Hisoka!)

Tsuzuki was torn. He wanted to save the child, but he also wanted to make sure Hisoka was all right. And he couldn't do both at once! What was he supposed to do?

When he saw the centipede Devil's massive jaws about to close around the unconscious child's thin waist to devour her, his choice was made for him. As worried as he was about Hisoka, he couldn't let this girl be killed, or worse, turned into a Devil as well. He'd already let that happen once . . .

He shot yet another bolt of magic at the creature, hitting it square at its jaws and knocking its head sideways. He knew his attack wasn't strong enough to kill the monster, but an attack that would kill it would also vaporize the child, which was something he hoped to avoid if at all possible.

Now Tsuzuki made an attempt to reach the injured child, and received a vicious blow from the creature's poison-tipped tail in return for his efforts. Then the monster turned on him, apparently deciding that a Guardian of Death would make a much better meal than a human child.

Well, at least he had its attention. But the poison was spreading through his body very quickly, and he hurt far too much to move right now.

*~*~*~*Perspective Switch!*~*~*~*

Here's the kid's point of view now!

(You'll find out his name now.)

Kurama lifted his head up just in time to see the giant centipede strike down a brown-haired man and send them flying and then turn to devour him.

No! He couldn't let anymore innocent people get hurt because of him! Not again . . .

He struggled to his feet, fighting to untangle his legs from his long braid, and started running toward the monster, feeling energy pour into his left arm and focus into the two beads on his leather bracelet. He knew it could be dangerous to use all of his energy at one time, but he didn't have a choice in the matter.

"Silver! Wraith!"

The two mystic wolves appeared from the glass beads, immediately moving to flank the boy. They both looked at him, waiting for orders.

Stop that thing!" He pointed at the centipede. "It's gonna eat him!"

The two giant wolves leapt at the Devil, but were deflected by its tail. They both hit the ground hard, instantly returning to the form of two glistening beads. Then the centipede turned its attention back to Kurama, rushing at him as he attempted to retrieve his wolves' beads. Before he could reach them, the centipede was looming over him. He squealed, dropped to his knees, and covered his head, praying that if this thing was going to eat him, it would do it quickly. He could feel his unstable energy gathering in his tiny body, feeling like it was ready to explode.

His energy suddenly left him in a giant burst and he passed out.

*~*~*~*Perspective Switch!*~*~*~*

It's back to Tsuzuki again!

Tsuzuki could not believe what had just happened. He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't just seen it with his own two eyes. The child had just released two demonic wolves to attack the devil, and then he'd let out a giant burst of demonic energy that had literally _vaporized_ the Devil. He could certainly say this much about the child:

She wasn't human.

The shinigami struggled to his feet, pain making his movements sluggish and clumsy, and stumbled over to why Hisoka was sprawled on the ground. The boy was still lying, unmoving, where he'd fallen, dazed and disoriented from the impact of the hard ground. Tsuzuki laid a gently hand on his partner's shoulder.

"Hisoka? Are you all right?" He gently shook the teen's shoulder to rouse him.

The boy's eyelids flickered open and he groaned softly.

"Come on, Hisoka, you need to get up." He shook his shoulder a bit harder now.

Hisoka slowly raised his emerald eyes to the older man's face. His young body was in agony and he felt sick from the intense pain. When he'd landed, the back of his head had slammed into the ground. The throbbing pain was radiating out from the back of his skull, focusing in the center of his forehead and behind his tear-filled eyes. When Tsuzuki tried to pull him into a sitting position, he wanted to scream from the pain shooting down his neck and spine into his limbs. As it was, all he could do was manage a gasped, "Don't, Tsuzuki."

Tsuzuki gently lowered his young partner back to the ground, carefully turning the teen's head to the side to avoid any more unnecessary contact contact between the back of his skull and the packed dirt beneath him.

He knew he wouldn't be able to do much for Hisoka, so now his main concern was the young girl who'd almost become a Devil's dinner. He stumbled over to her, finding the child not too worse for wear. Her khaki shorts were tattered and her once-white T-shirt was dirty and torn (Odd clothing for a young girl, he thought.), but that didn't seem to be from tonight's incident. The girl had probably been on her own for quite a while and most likely didn't have any other clothes. Tsuzuki gently picked her up and carried her over to lay her down beside Hisoka.

And now he had yet another problem. He couldn't carry both of these two, and there was no way to tell where they might wind up if he tried teleporting them back to Meifu.*(1.) And he wasn't about to leave one of them here while he took the other one back when there could still be more Devils lurking around.

Oh, boy, was he ever in a pickle.

Oh my. This is unexpected."

Tsuzuki turned to find Watari standing behind him. "Watari!"

The blond scientist came to stand beside him. "So who is this?"

"I don't know. That Devil was attacking her."

"I wonder why. Oh well. It's a good thing you showed up to kill it."

"But I didn't kill it."

"You didn't kill it? Then where is it?!" He looked around nervously.

"It's dead," he whispered, still awestruck by what he'd just witnessed. "But I didn't kill it."

"Oh, then did Hisoka-?"

"No, not Hisoka either . . ."

"Then who-?" He caught Tsuzuki staring at the smaller figure on the ground. "Wait, this little girl . . .?!" His shocked voice trailed off.

"Yes. You should have seen it, Watari! She called out these two giant, demon wolves, and then she unleashed this huge burst of demonic energy- Oh!" He snapped his fingers when he remembered the wolves.

"What?"

Tsuzuki stood suddenly and began to search for the two beads, finding them near where he'd picked up the child.

"Hey, Watari, what are these?" He held them up and waved at Watari to come over.

"Hm?" He walked over to the older shinigami to inspect the little gems. "Oh! Those are soul beads.*(2.) Where'd they come from?"

"That kid had them. The two wolves came from these."

"But that's impossible! Only someone with demonic blood can use them. There's no way . . ." His voice trailed off, at a loss for words for once in his life.

"Well, that kid used them to summon demon wolves, so I guess we'll have to assume that she's at least part demon for the time being." Tsuzuki slipped the beads into his pocket. "But for now, let's just get those two back to the infirmary back in Meifu."

"Right." The blond man moved to pick up Hisoka.

Tsuzuki was about to protest that he could carry Hisoka, until he saw the blood soaking the back of the boy's head, caking in his golden hair. Since Watari was the closest thing that the Ministry had to a doctor right now, and Tsuzuki know next to nothing about medicine, it was probably best if he took Hisoka. Even though Hisoka did have a high healing rate, the possibility of a concussion was still a serious one that could really hurt him if he wasn't properly treated.

While Tsuzuki was thinking that over in his mind, Watari teleported away, back to the Ministry.

So now Tsuzuki was left with the young girl who was quite possibly a demon, or at least part demon. He gently picked her up, thinking how thin and fragile the child's body was. He had a feeling that this little girl was a street kid, if the filthy, ripped clothes and dirt-covered skin were any indication. And it didn't help that the poor kid was covered in exploded centipede gunk. After he took the girl to Meifu, he'd have to come back and get her some new clothes.

And with that thought, he teleported back to Meifu.

* * *

So, there it is! The first chapter of my first multi-chapter fic! Chapter two will be coming just as soon as I can get it typed. I will warn you now that it will be long, but I don't know if it will need to be split into separate chapters. It's twenty-one handwritten pages, and I'll probably and in more stuff as I type, so no clue as to how long it will actually be . . . but I do have big handwriting, so that may help shorten it.

Anywho, here's what all the little (*) and number things were for.

*(1.) Tsuzuki's powers have been acting up lately. Not sure why yet. But he's worried that the three of them might get separated during the teleporting process. That's why he's so worried about trying to teleport all three of them at once.

*(2.) Soul beads (as far as I know) are my own creation. They are, in a way, a demon's equivalent to a shikigami. They protect their demon master like shikigami protect shinigami. That's really all you need to know, so don't ask about them.

Other Notes:

Yes, once again, the kid is a BOY. He looks very much like a girl. (Much like his namesake from Yu Yu Hakusho. In fact, he looks much like Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho, but, once again, it is not THE Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho. His face and hair color are the only things that are the same. His personality is totally different, and his eyes are a completely different color (As stated above).)

I'm pretty sure that Watari is not an easy person to shut up, that's why I said "he was speachless for once in his life", or whatever it was.

So that's about it. Review if you want. If you don't want to you don't have to. There's not much I can do to force you, now is there? Except maybe to send the evil plot bunnies after you . . . Never mind, they're on vacation. But like I said, review if you want to. It would make me happy . . . Sorta. Oh, and if you read my first fic, "My Name Is Christmas Carol" (Yes, it's a Christmas songfic.), I will thank you with a personal PM (If you have a profile. If you don't, I'll say thanks on my profile.)

Laterz!


	2. Chapter 2

Here it is! The second chapter of Precious Memories! I hope you enjoy it! . . . Even though nobody has reviewed it yet . . . *sad eyes* Why won't you review?! Why?!

Well, who cares? I'm updating anyway, despite the fact that you all seem to hate my story so much you won't even review!

If you're wondering why I gave this poor fic such a suckish title, please see my profile. I think I explained it there . . . Somewhere . . . *pondering face* Pretty sure I did . . . please feel sorry for this poor fic because of its awful title, if for no other reason.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. But again, I OWN _**NOTHING**_!!!!!

Warnings: Um . . . None, I think, other than language. (Another reason why this story is rated M. Although I know that the rating is keeping me from getting more reviews, I feel a rating such as this is necessary. As I stated before, younger kids should not read such language, and they could too easily get to it if it was rated anything less than M.) This chapter is pretty boring . . . But it just means that I'll be more motivated to get Chapter 3 typed and posted. It's a little bit better because we get to see (er, read) Tsuzuki get kinda hysterical. (And no, I don't mean funny. He goes kinda crazy.)

So, on with the fic!

* * *

Precious Memories

Chapter 2

Tsuzuki finally and thankfully entered the infirmary (He'd ended up in several other strange dimensions he didn't even know existed trying to get here, including one where they were floating in what seemed to be lime Jell-O . . .), still carrying the unconscious girl, and immediately cringed at what he saw. Hisoka, sitting half-conscious on one of the beds, Watari sitting behind him stitching the wound in the back of the teen's head closed, and Hisoka close to crying from the pain.

Watari glanced up for an instant. "Perhaps you should get her cleaned up first." He nodded toward the bathroom.

Tsuzuki nodded and went to the bathroom to start running a tub of water. When he started undressing the "girl", he got quite a surprise.

"Hey, Watari, this kid's a boy!"

"What?!" he called back in disbelief.

"He's a boy. Go figure."

"He doesn't look like a boy."

"Well, unless I have got this whole biology thing completely and totally wrong, he's definitely a boy."

The scientist, oddly enough, didn't answer this time . . .

Tsuzuki carefully lowered the boy(!) into the tub. He wanted to hurry and get the kid cleaned so he could check on Hisoka, but he knew that the kid could get sick if the shinigami wasn't thorough enough, so he made sure to take his time and carefully clean the child's cuts.

"This kid sure does have a lot of hair," Tsuzuki muttered as he picked out the leaves and twigs after he'd undone the long braid.

"You say something, Tsuzuki?" Watari's voice seemed closer than before.

"Just thinking out loud," he answered.

The blond scientist appeared in the doorway. "Bon's sleeping now. I'll have to keep an eye on him while he's asleep." He turned to go back into the infirmary. "Tatsumi just brought in some clothes for him," he called over his shoulder.

Tsuzuki went back to cleaning the boy's cuts and bruises, stopping short when he leaned the child forward to wash his back.

"Watari!!!"

He came running in a few seconds later, eyes wide behind the frames of his glasses. "What?! What's wrong?!"

"Come look at this."

Even from his place across the room, it was obvious to Watari what had Tsuzuki so flustered. Pale blue runes marred the otherwise milky-white skin of the boy's back. Though he really didn't want to violate the child's privacy (this whole situation was weird enough as it was), he was so curious. He just had to get a closer look.

"Watari, what is this?"

"I'm not sure." He leaned forward to see better, then reached out to touch the sky blue markings.

"Um, maybe you shouldn't do that. We don't know what these marks mean, right? Doesn't that mean that they could be dangerous?"

"Yes, I suppose. Hm." He leaned closer.

"What?"

"These look kind of like bon's curse markings."

"What?!" Tsuzuki looked ready to kill something, or, more appropriately, one silver-haired doctor. "I swear, if Muraki's done something to hurt this poor kid, I'm gonna-"

"Tsuzuki, please, calm down. You'll wake him up, and maybe bon, too, if he hears you."

"You're right . . . By the way, aren't you supposed to be monitoring Hisoka?"

"Yes, you're right." He turned and left once again.

Tsuzuki looked down at the fragile little creature in his arms, again wondering at the strange markings on the child's back.

"Muraki," he growled.

He couldn't help but think of what Muraki had done to Hisoka, raping him and cursing him to die so slowly and painfully. And because of the way his family was, he'd been all alone when he died . . . If Muraki had hurt this child in any way, no matter how small it was, he'd strangle the damned bastard until his head popped off!

But for the time being, he needed to finish cleaning the kid up and then put him to bed so he could rest.

It took about five more minutes for Tsuzuki to finish washing the boy and drain the tub. When he wrapped the boy in a warm towel (courtesy of a very worried Wakaba coming to check on them and having the forethought to bring in clean towels), the little boy curled in closer to Tsuzuki's chest, apparently seeking the warmth his larger body provided.

Tsuzuki hugged the boy tighter against this chest, trying to help the child stay warm. "Poor kid . . ."

Then the boy mumbled something. "Sil . . . ver . . . Wraith . . ."

Much to Tsuzuki's surprise, the two giant wolves appeared beside him, knocking him backwards into the empty tub.

The two wolves, so huge they were shoulder to shoulder and squished between the walls, growled at Tsuzuki. He stared back at them in shock, surprised by their appearances. They looked almost _nothing_ like normal wolves. The one on his left was a bright grayish-silver with golden wings and eyes, the other, to his right, a deep black with burning red eyes and two matching stripes on each of its huge shoulders. The mere sight of them sent Tsuzuki into a panic.

Tsuzuki shook the boy, trying to wake him. "Hey, kid, wake up! C'mon, kid, this is serious! Your pups are about to eat us! Or at the very least, eat me!"

The boy's voice was nearly inaudible, but thank the gods the wolves heard him. "Silver, Wraith, no. Down."

They fell back.

"Return . . ."

In about two seconds, the wolves had returned to their jewel forms.

Tsuzuki blinked in surprise. "Wow."

"Tsuzuki," Watari called, "what happened?"

"Nothing." He climbed out of the tub, still clutching the boy to his chest. "You said Tatsumi brought him some clothes?"

"Mm-hm. They're in here on the bed."

"Okay." He knelt to pick up the beads, then proceeded into the main room of the infirmary.

"Seriously, though, what happened in there?" Watari pulled a blanket up around Hisoka, covering him up to his chin.

"The kid cllaed out his wolves."

"Oh?"

"He didn't mean to, though. I think" Tsuzuki sat down on the bed beside Hisoka's with the boy on his lap and started drying him off. Again, he said, "This kid sure does have a lot of have."

The blond scientist looked over at them. tsuzuki was right. The boy's hair was nearly as long as he was tall, spilling off Tsuzuki's lap and pooling in the floor.

"Good greif. And people think my hair is long."

"Can you get me another towel? I think this kid's hair sucked up half the water in the tub."

Watari glanced at the puddle forming on the floor from the boy's dripping hair. "I'll get you two. And a brush."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Tsuzuki had the boy dried off, dressed, had his hair brushed and rebraided, and had him tucked snugly into one of the beds.

Tsuzuki smiled down at the angel-faced child, chuckling quietly. "He's a cute little squirt, isn't he, Watari?"

"But he doesn't seem to be resting." Watari went to stand beside the violet-eyed shinigami. "What do you think is wrong?"

As if in response, the boy started to whimper and clutch at a thin strip of leather around his left wrist. Tsuzuki could only assume it was for the odd beads still in his pocket. He pulled them out and stared at the two small orbs of glass. It was obvious which bead housed which wolf; one was silver with two small patches of gold on each side, the other a deep black with sparkling crimson stripes.

"I think he wants these."

"Hunh?"

Tsuzuki slipped the leather band off the child's small wrist, idly thinking how easily the bone would snap under too much pressure, and put the beads back on the band before tying it securely back around the boy's wrist. The child immediately settled into a peaceful sleep snuggling his head into the thick pillow. (The pillows are thick because the only person who ever really needs the infirmary is Tsuzuki. *sigh* _How_ many times has he hurt himself or blown something up or some combination of the two?)

"I guess you were right."

Tsuzuki was quiet for a moment, then he turned to Watari. "So what do you think those markings on his back are?"

"I don't know. Maybe some kind of death curse. I can't say for sure."

Tsuzuki frowned. "Do you think it was Muraki?"

"I don't know. And we can't say for sure that it was Muraki that put those marks on him in the first place. I can check him to see if anything has been . . . done to him lately." He seemed uneasy talking about the fact that this tiny child might have possibly been hurt and/or raped by a sadistic doctor. (That is understandable, though.)

"Okay. What about Hisoka?"

"I can keep an eye on bon while I examine the kid." He started to reach for the small redhead.

"Why don't you let him rest for little while longer?"

They both looked down at the sleeping child. Who know when the last time the boy had had a decent place to sleep?

"Yes, good idea."

They watched him for a few more minutes.

"He looks like an angel, doesn't he?" Tsuzuki whispered.

"The most beautiful demons are often the most dangerous," Watari mumbled under his breath, too quiet for Tsuzuki to understand.

Hunh?"

Watari put his hands up nervously. "Nothing, nothing!" He pushed the other shinigami toward the door. "What don't you go get something to eat? You must be hungry, right?"

"But, Watari-"

Go on, go on. Tatsumi said that Wakaba baked you some cupcakes today."

His eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Mm-hm. I think they're chocolate, too."

Tsuzuki took off running so fast Watari nearly fell from the sudden lack of support in front of him.

After he was sure that the violet-eyed man was long gone, Watari went back inside, scooped the redheaded child out of bed, and took him back to his lab.

* * *

All right! There's Chapter 2! Chapter 3 will get here when it gets here.

Wow . . . That kid is _out_. How many of you out there can sleep through all that? Well? Anybody?

Like I said, this chapter is _BOOOOOR-IIIIING_. But it has to be here, and I'm sorry it was so short. I'll start working on Chapter 3 soon. For those of you who are reading this, thank you. For _ANYBODY_ who reviews, thank you more. Seriously. Will somebody PLEASE review this stupid thing? Even if you say you hate it, at least I'll have a review. How am I supposed to know what I need to do to fix something or make you like it if you guys don't give me feedback?

Well, review if you want to. Until next time, this is Cute Little Foxy signing off.

Bye! *waves like an idiot*


	3. Chapter 3

Hi, everybody! I'm back again with Chapter 3 of Precious Memories! Not that many people seem to care. But I finally got a review, so this story has been saved from the delete box. So thank you, reviewer(s)!

I'm not in the mood to say anything funny or stupid right now, so . . .

Disclaimer: I don't own it. You know that. I know that. _EVERYBODY_ knows that. I don't see why we even have to put these things! Anyone who doesn't know that we don't own this stuff is clueless! If you still think I own YnM after all this, I suggest you go get tested.

Sorry to anybody that offended.

Warning: Standard stuff. If you don't get what that means, it means that there is probably gonna be swearing or something in this chapter. If there is not, then you just caught a break.

Okay, my reviewer said that she wanted Tsuzuki angst. Tsuzuki is going to get hysterical in this chapter. I hope this is satisfactory for now. There will probably be more later.

So, let's get on with the next chapter.

* * *

Precious Memories

Chapter 3

Tsuzuki was back in the infirmary within three minutes, carrying the tray of chocolate cupcakes with him. Although it was highly unusual for him to share his sweets, he thought that maybe Hisoka and the boy might like a cupcake to make them feel better, if they were awake. He knew he'd only been gone for a couple of minutes, so he was very surprised when he didn't find either Watari, who was _supposed_ to be watching Hisoka, or the red-haired boy anywhere in the infirmary.

"Hunh?" He looked around confusedly. "Where did they go?"

He walked over and placed a cupcake on the stand beside Hisoka's bed. Then feeling like an abandoned, lost puppy, he went to search for Watari, checking everywhere he might be except his lab. (AN: *sigh* Tsuzuki, we all love you, but you are a _ditz_.)

* * *

Meanwhile, Watari was, in fact, in his lab. The boy was laid out on his stomach, still blissfully asleep, while Watari studied the pale blue markings on his back, comparing them to every known language in his computer's database.

In the midst of his searching, Watari's little owl landed on his shoulder, making him jump a bit.

"Hello, 003." He scratched at the owl's fluffy belly.

The little owl hooted happily.

The scientist went back to work for a few more minutes, absently scratching the owl's fluffy belly, until he accidentally caught his nail in the little bird's skin and received a nasty bite and a peck for it.

"Ouch! Crazy little bird," he grumbled, sucking at the little pinprick-sized mark in his finger.

He continued to work for another few minutes.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Watari frowned. "I don't understand, 003. Why isn't this in the system? I know our databank doesn't have a sample of _every_ language in all the worlds, but what could this kid possibly have done that would have him in a situation where he's involved with some race of creature or another that has a language that's not in the computer?" (AN: Good grief! How did he say that in one breath? I couldn't even read that in one breath!)

He kept scrolling down pages. It was possible that these marking were a variation of some ancient, lost language, or perhaps derived from a combination of two or more different languages, but nothing in the records was even remotely similar.

Finally, he just decided to give up, standing from his chair and stretching. His joints popped when he moved, frightening his little owl enough to make him fly away, probably back to wherever he'd been hiding earlier. (AN: Hey, how often does Watari actually get out to exercise? His job is to sit in a chair all day, look up stuff on his computer, and mix potions in his spare time. He doesn't get out that much, people. (And his joints even pop in the manga!)) He did have to check over this kid to look for any signs that Muraki had had him after all, and then he had to get back to Hisoka.

Watari finished stripping the boy, folding his underwear and pajama bottoms and laying them beside the folded up pajama top, then he carefully checked the unconscious child for any signs of sexual assault. The kid was covered in scrapes and bruises, but the scrapes were obviously not caused by a human (more than likely they'd been made by Devils that had attacked the child), and, when compared to Watari's own hand, none of the bruises seemed to be handprints either. After determining this, and that the child's milky-white skin would probably hold a bruise for weeks, Watari decided that he probably didn't need to check any further, not that he really wanted to anyway. So he redressed the boy and started to look for a needle to take a blood sample with. (He really needed to reorganize his lab . . .) Maybe if he could figure out who or what this boy was, it would help him figure out what the strange markings on his back meant, or maybe who'd put them there. He finally found the needle and started to draw blood from the boy's arm just as Tsuzuki came bounding in, tail wagging (AN: Yes, in his doggie-like form.), and almost plowed Watari over.

"Watari! I've been looking everywhere fore you!" (AN: Except the one place he should have looked in the first place . . .)

"Watch it, Tsuzuki! I would really prefer not to shred this boy's vein with this needle, if you don't mind."

"Sorry . . ." He went to curl up in a nearby chair, his lower lip pouting. "So what do you want his blood for?"

"I'm hoping it will give us some clues as to who he is."

"So . . . Any idea if Muraki . . . ?"

"As far as I can tell-" He pulled the needle from the boy's arm. "-if Muraki _has_ had ahold of him, it's been quite some time. This sample should tell us if he's sick." He pressed some gauze over the pinprick in the boy's inner elbow.

"Like Hisoka was . . . ?"

"Yes. If those marks are a death curse, he'll be sick, and this should tell us if he is." Watari took the blood sample over to one of the machines. "This may take a while. Why don't you take him back to the infirmary to rest? It'll be far more comfortable for him than lying on that cold exam table."

Tsuzuki nodded and moved to the metal table, picking up the child. The little redhead immediately curled his hands into Tsuzuki's dress shirt.

"This kid's awfully clingy." He shifted his grip on the tiny body in his arms.

"You said he unleashed a lot of energy earlier, didn't you? He's probably drawn to you because you have a high concentration of spiritual energy."

"So what should I do?"

"Take him to the infirmary and then don't touch him for a while. He's probably drawing in your spiritual energy. It'll be better for you both if he regains his own energy at his own pace instead of feeding off yours."

"But-"

"But what?"

"I don't know. He just seems so . . . helpless, I guess. I just don't like the thought of leaving him alone, even if it's just for a little while. It just . . . worries me, I guess. I've just got this feeling something bad is about to happen, you know?" (AN: *ahem* That's called foreshadowing right there, people!)

Watari sighed. "Tsuzuki-"

He didn't get to finish before the boy's demonic energy suddenly spiked and spiraled out of control. Several rows of test tubes and beakers exploded and the lenses of Watari's glasses shattered. (AN: Told you so.)

"Tsuzuki, do something!"

"Wh-what do you want me to do?!"

"Get him out of here, quick, before he makes one of these machines explode!"

Watari didn't let him respond. He literally pushed Tsuzuki out the door and slammed it behind him, leaving Tsuzuki standing confused and alone in the hallway.

Poor Tsuzuki didn't know what to do. The strange boy's sudden spike in energy was actually shaking the entire building now. Gods, what was he supposed to-

"Tsuzuki!"

He spun around, relieved to see the brown-haired man running toward him. "Tatsumi!"

Tsuzuki, what's-?" He suddenly bounced backwards, electricity snapping around his body like he'd run into a wall charged with lightning.

"T-Tatsumi?"

He readjusted his glasses. "Tsuzuki, get that boy out of here. Now."

Tsuzuki really didn't know what else to do besides head for the nearest exit. Once outside, he thought everything would calm down (AN: When is Tsuzuki ever really right?), but instead the trees started swaying and bending. He started hearing the limbs and branches crack ad snap, dumping bushels up sakura petals over him. (AN: For those of you unfamiliar with what a bushel is, and I'm sure there are some of you out there, just think of it as it's raining sakura petals. And not a little spring shower. I'm talking about a downpour.)

"Damn it, what am I supposed to do?"

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the shaking completely stopped. The trees stopped twisting and went back to normal, although they were slightly bare. (Tsuzuki was up to his knees in sakura petals.)

Tsuzuki." The eerily calm voice made him jump.

"Tatsumi! I think it's okay now. See, everything's calmed down!"

"Tsuzuki, let me have the boy." He held out his arms to take the child.

Tsuzuki turned to hold the boy away from him. He didn't trust the look on Tatsumi's face. He was planning something. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Enma Daioh told the Chief that we have to get rid of him." He reached for the tiny redhead again.

Tsuzuki took a step away from him. "What do you mean 'get rid of him'? What are you going to do?"

"Tsuzuki, give him here. Enma Daioh says he's too dangerous to keep in Enmacho, and therefore too dangerous to send back to the human world."

Then it clicked. Tsuzuki took several steps back, clutching the tiny boy to his chest. "H-he . . . He wants this boy killed, doesn't he?!"

"Yes, he does. Now-"

"But why?! He didn't do anything wrong!"

"Tsuzuki, he could have destroyed the entire building just now. He's dangerous. Now hand him over."

"I destroy the building all the time! Why is this so different?!" (AN: This is true. In the manga, Tsuzuki destroys at least part of the building at least once a year. *sweatdrop* This is where he's really going to start acting a little crazy.)

"Tsuzuki-"

"He hasn't done anything wrong! He hasn't done anything, Tatsumi!"

"Tsuzuki, please, you're getting hysterical. Just give him here and-"

"No!" He stumbled away a few more steps until his back hit a tree. "This isn't fair! Why are you going to punish him when he hasn't done anything wrong?! It's not fair!"

"Tsuzuki." He stepped closed to the other shinigami, looking for some way to console him. Tsuzuki should have been used to the fact that people died, that at times it was their job to take a person's life. "Tsuzuki, we'll give him a drug to keep him asleep through the entire ting. He won't feel any pain."

"I don't care!" He shook his head furiously. "This isn't right!"

"Tsuzuki, please-"

"Tsuzuki."

Both men turned toward the voice. An old man was strolling toward them.

"Chief Konoe!" Tsuzuki really was hysterical now. "Chief, why does this boy have to be killed? He didn't do anything wrong!" He subconsciously stepped close to his boss. "Chief Konoe, why does this boy have to die?! It isn't fair!"

"Tsuzuki, you have to try to understand something. We need to protect Enmacho, as well as the human world. This boy is a threat to both. Therefore, in order to keep both Enmacho and the human world safe, that child must be destroyed. I'm sorry, Tsuzuki."

Tsuzuki had started crying by now. "But . . . This isn't fair . . ."

"Tsuzuki." Tatsumi stepped closer to the other shinigami and hooked his arms under the child. "Tsuzuki, it's time to let him go."

Tsuzuki's arms dropped to his sides in defeat. He hit his knees in the ocean of sakura petals, head drooping, eyes staring blankly at the vast expanse of pink.

Tatsumi turned to face the Chief. "Sir, I'll go take care of-"

The two giant wolves suddenly appeared from the boy's bracelet. Tatsumi immediately dropped him and stumbled back.

"You see, Tsuzuki?! This is what we're talking about! This kid is dangerous!"

"No, he's not! The wolves sensed he was in danger. That's why they're here. It's not his fault!" Tsuzuki looked desperately to the Chief. "Sir, please, this isn't his fault. He's not in control of those wolves. They're just trying to protect him."

"If he can't control these things then he's an even bigger threat than before. Chief Konoe, sir, just give me the word and I'll vaporize all three of them."

"No!" Tsuzuki screamed. "You can't!"

The old man sighed. This wasn't going to be easy on Tsuzuki, but they didn't have a choice in the matter. Orders were orders. "Do it, Tatsumi."

"Yes, sir." He raised his hand toward the boy and his wolves.

"Tatsumi, no! Please, don't!" Tsuzuki jumped up, looking frantically between the Chief, Tatsumi, and the boy and wolves. "Tatsumi, don't do this!"

Tatsumi's shadow sprung up around him, ready to obliterate the boy.

"No!" Without realizing had he'd gotten there, Tsuzuki was suddenly standing between Tatsumi and the wolves who were guarding the child. "Tatsumi, please, you can't do this!"

"Move, Tsuzuki."

"N-no."

"Tsuzuki-" Tatsumi began.

"Tsuzuki, get out of his way."

"No!" He shook his head furiously, trying to gather enough air into his lungs in between his sobbing to speak. "This isn't right! Isn't part of our job to protect people from the human world as well? Isn't this boy from the human world? You can't just murder him!"

"Tsuzuki, if you don't move, we'll have to use force to move you."

"But-"

"Wait a minute!"

They all (including the two giant demon wolves) turned to look at where the voice had come from. Watari was running toward them, blond hair loose and flying out behind him and whipping into his eyes. (An: Remember, his glasses shattered with Kurama's weird little energy burst.) He was out of breath when he reached the group.

"Tatsumi, *pant* you can't *pant* use Fuda on *pant* him. *pant* The marks on his back . . . *pant* I don't know what-"

"What marks?" Chief Konoe took a step forward.

This is exactly what Tsuzuki had been hoping for, a way to buy some time and keep the boy safe.

Tatsumi lowered his hand. "What are you talking about, Watari?"

"The boy has some kind of rune markings on his hack. I don't know what there or what will happen if someone uses Fuda magic on him."

"Well, don't just stand there. One of you show us what the hell you're talking about."

Tsuzuki immediately moved to the boy's side. He carefully lifted the back of the child's shirt, feeling the demon wolves' eyes on him.

"What the-" Tatsumi was almost speechless.

"What are these marks? What do they mean, Watari?"

"I'm not sure. That's why I say we shouldn't use Fuda on him. It could be dangerous." He looked over at the two demon wolves. "And it's obvious that if any other means are used to try to harm him, his two friends there are going to fight tooth and nail, quite literally, to save him."

"Nevertheless, he's still dangerous."

"Maybe not. It could be that those markings are affecting his powers, if he has powers. This little incident might not be completely his fault."

Both Tatsumi and Konoe both looked over at the tiny creature that Tsuzuki was cradling so carefully in his arms, as though afraid the child might break if mishandled. Tsuzuki was looking at them with frightened, pleading violet eyes, eyes that a person couldn't say no too.

The Chief sighed. "Oh, all right. He can stay here until Watari figured out what those markings mean. But until then, Tsuzuki?"

"Y-yes, sir?"

"This boy is your responsibility until then. Understand?"

His eyes lit up. "Yes, sir!"

"But if it turns out that this boy IS a threat to us, he will be killed. Do you understand that?"

He nodded, clutching that boy tighter.

"All right then. Come on, Tatsumi." The two turned to leave. "And make sure those dogs don't make a mess on the carpet."

Tsuzuki stood after they left. Watari had bought the little boy some more time. That was good . . . He looked down at the fragile looking redhead, marveling at his ivory skin and angel's face. Yes, Watari had bought him a LITTLE more time . . .

But just how much time was that?

* * *

Well, there it is! Sorry it's so late in coming . . .

SORRY about all the author's notes in this. I guess I just had a lot of commentary in this chapter . . .

Many thanks to ANYONE who reviews . . .

I think that's it . . .

Until next time, bye!


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, here's Chapter 4 of Precious Memories! (Again, sorry about the suckish title.)

Standard disclaimer.

Standard warnings.

Blah blah blah. You get the point.

* * *

Precious Memories

Chapter 4

"Tsuzuki, you don't have to stay here. You CAN go home."

"I don't want to."

"Then at least go get something to eat. You look like you're about to collapse." Watari went about sweeping up the mess that the earthquake earlier had made of the infirmary.

"I don't want to leave Hisoka and . . . whoever this kid is."

Watari glanced pointedly at the two wolves sitting in the corner, watchful eyes trained on the unconscious redhead. "I think they'll be okay long enough for you to get some food."

Tsuzuki grudgingly got up from his chair and headed for the door. He came back a few minutes later with a piece of chocolate cake.

Watari sighed. "Tsuzuki, that's not exactly what I meant."

"What are you talking about? Of course this is food." As if to prove his point, Tsuzuki stuck a large bite in his mouth, frowning at the blond scientist all the while.

"Can't you eat anything other than sweets?" He sighed again. "It's no wonder why you're always so hyper. You're probably on a constant sugar high."

"Too much sugar will give you diabetes, idiot."

"Yes, that's ri- Hunh?"

They both turned to look at Hisoka. The teen was sitting up, holding his head with one hand and staring at the two men.

"Hisoka!" Tsuzuki shoved his plate at Watari and ran over to him. "Hisoka, are you all right? Does anything hurt?"

"My head and my stomach."

Watari stepped closer to the bed, sitting Tsuzuki's cake plate on a small stand. "Are you feeling nauseous or does your stomach just hurt?"

He wrapped his arms around his middle. "A little of both."

Watari pulled a small light out of his pocket and shined it in Hisoka's eyes. "Your pupils are dilated. That's not good."

"Why?" Tsuzuki let Hisoka lean against his chest, stroking the boy's hair.

"Well, combined with the headache and the nausea, it means that he probably has a serious concussion. He needs to lie back down."

Hisoka laid back against the pillow, wishing that his head would stop pounding. It felt like his skull was going to split open, and the fact that he could sense how worried Tsuzuki and Watari were about him was stressing his mind even more. Normally, he could have handled it, but right now the men's emotions were wearing on his already frayed nerves.

"Hisoka?" Tsuzuki began, worried by how weak the boy looked.

"I'm fine." He glanced at the child in the bed beside his own. "Have you figured out who she is yet?"

"Well, actually, Hisoka, 'she' is a 'he'. Turns out the kid is a boy."

"I'm not even going to ask how you found that out."

""Well, actually-"

He put his hand up. "I don't wanna know." He looked at the boy again. "So what are we going to do with him?"

"Well, um . . . We're not sure yet."

"What did the Chief say?"

"He wanted the kid killed. Watari saved him."

"How?"

Tsuzuki launched into the story about how he'd found the strange markings on the child's back, then the weird earthquake the boy had apparently caused, how Tatsumi had tried to kill the boy, and finally how Watari had come running out and given a hurried explanation of how dangerous it could be to try to him.

"Interesting."

"I still can't believe that the Chief would actually want to . . . to _slaughter_ this poor kid just because he's got some weird powers. So what if he accidentally caused and earthquake that broke some glass? It can be replaced."

"Yeah. You blow up a building on a daily basis."

"Yeah, that's- Hey! That's not very nice, Hisoka!"

"Since when I have I ever been nice?"

The two of them launched into an argument that ended with Tsuzuki almost in tears and Hisoka calling him a crybaby. They were so caught up in their little squabble that they didn't even realize that their red-haired guest had sat up in bed and was staring at them until the giant wolves stood up and bounded over to him.

Watari was actually the one who noticed the boy. "Oh! Look who's up."

The two other shinigami turned to look at him. The boy shrank back down into the bed, pulling the blankets up to his nose.

"Hey, it's all right." Tsuzuki stood slowly and put his hands up, trying to keep from startling the boy. "We're not going to hurt you. Can you tell us your name?"

The boy looked uncertain until the silver wolf nudged his hand with his nose. He scratched the creature's muzzle.

"Well, what's your name?" Hisoka pressed, getting a bit agitated.

Now the boy looked a bit distressed, not looking at any of them. "I . . . I don't know. I can't remember . . ."

Tsuzuki sat down on the boy's bed and brushed his red hair from his face. "You can't remember your name?"

The boy shook his head. "No. I can't remember anything except for Silver and Wraith." He hugged the big gray wolf's muzzle.

"Nothing at all?"

He shook his head.

Tsuzuki put his hand on the boy's shoulder, earning a growl from the wolves.

The boy reached up to touch Tsuzuki's hand, his pale fingers barely brushing the skin. After a moment he looked at the wolves and said, "It's okay, guys. He won't hurt me. He's a good person. A little bit odd and money-spending and totally addicted to sweets, but he's a good person."

"Boy, did he nail you," Hisoka mumbled.

"How did you know all that?"

"Um, I'm not sure . . ."

"Kurama is a psychic," the silver wolf said.

"Whoa!" Tsuzuki almost tumbled off the bed. "You can talk?!"

"Yes. Quite well, actually."

The boy leaned closer to him. "You said 'Kurama'. Is that my name?"

"Yes, it is."

"So . . . Who am I?"

"That, I really couldn't tell you. I _can_ tell you that Wraith and I have been taking care of you since you were small. Well, smaller anyway. We only know that we were assigned to protect, and not much else."

"Assigned by who?"

"Again, I don't now. Wraith and I woke up with you between us with only the knowledge that we are supposed to protect you. We have no idea who created us, or why they need us to protect you, but we've both sworn that we _will_ protect you no matter what." The creature's golden eyes glared around the room at the three shinigami. "It doesn't matter who threatens you."

Watari put his hands up when the wolf's eyes landed on him. "Oh, don't worry about that. We're just trying to figure out who he is, that's all."

"It's the Chief and Tatsumi that you guys need to keep an eye on. They're the ones that tried to kill him." Now Tsuzuki was uncomfortable. He didn't like talking about death, or anything related to it.

"Somebody tried to kill me? What was I doing when this was going on?"

"You were out cold," the black and red wolf grumbled.

"Oh."

"So you really don't remember anything at all? Nothing?" Tsuzuki asked.

He shook his head.

"What about you two?" he asked the wolves. "Are you sure you don't remember anything?"

"All we remember is what I've just told you. We know we have to protect him, and noting more."

"So all you remember is that you woke up when Kurama was little and knew you had to protect him, and that's all?"

"That's all. After that we remember being summoned into that very cramped room."

"The bathroom," Tsuzuki supplied.

"I suppose that's what it's called. I wouldn't know."

Yeah, I guess dogs don't need a toilet."

The black wolf bristled at that. "We are not dogs!"

"Sorry! I didn't mean to-!"

Silver stepped between the two. "Easy, Wraith. It was just a slip of the tongue."

"Hey, um, mister?" Kurama's voice was very quiet and timid.

"Hm?"

"I don't know your names."

"Oh, right! I'm Tsuzuki. The blond boy is Hisoka, and the one with glasses is Watari."

"Hello." Watari waved at him

Hisoka had fallen asleep again, so he couldn't really say much.

"Um, hi." Kurama waved back at the scientist.

"Hey. hey!" Tsuzuki practically jumped him, tail wagging happily. Kurama fell back on the bed. "Are you hungry? I bet you're hungry, hunh? Do you want me to make you something?"

Watari was waving his arms frantically, mouthing, "Say no!" at him, but Kurama didn't see. Silver and Wraith saw him, however, and each raised an eyebrow at the strange man.

Kurama smiled. "Sure. I'm starving."

"Okay! I'll make one of my specialties!"

"Oh, gods," Watari mumbled. "He's going to kill the poor kid . . ."

Tsuzuki looked up at the scientist, eyes puzzled. "Hunh? Did you say something, Watari?" Before the blond man could respond, he continued happily, "Do you want me to make you something, too?"

Oh, no, no! It's fine! Really!"

"Oh. Okay then! He smiled and left the room, blissfully oblivious.

* * *

Sorry for the super long wait on this! The next chapter probably will take even longer . . . But please be patient! Please!

Has anybody else ever wished that they could live in the blissful simplicity that is Tsuzuki's mind? Oh, wait, I already do. Ha ha!

Well, until next time, laterz!


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